The mechanical properties of human tibial trabecular bone as a function of metaphyseal location

Abstract

Experimental determination of the elastic modulus and ultimate strength of human tibial trabecular bone as a function of metaphyseal location is presented. A 1 cm cubic matrix with planes parallel to the subchondral plate was defined on five fresh frozen cadaver tibias. Approximately 400, 7 mm X 10 mm cylindrical bone plugs were cut from the locations defined by the matrix and tested in uniaxial compressive stress at a strain rate of 0.1%S-1. Results of the study indicate that the trabecular bone properties vary as much as two orders of magnitude from one location to another. As might be predicted from Wolff's law, and noted by previous investigators, concentrations of strength arise from the medial and lateral metaphyseal cortices toward the major medial and lateral contact regions. These results may be valuable for improved analytical modeling and optimal prosthetic design.

Experimental and numerical characterisation of the elasto-plastic properties of bovine trabecular bone and a trabecular bone analogue

“…Morgan and Keaveny (2001) performed on-axis uniaxial compression testing on trabecular bone specimens from the vertebrae, proximal tibia, femoral neck and greater trochanter and measured a large scatter in data for the different anatomical locations and within anatomical site. Material properties measured from uniaxial compressive testing of proximal tibial trabecular specimens taken from various locations can vary by up to two orders of magnitude (Goldstein et al, 1983). In the present study, testing multiple specimens from the proximal tibial accounted for the inherent biological heterogeneity of trabecular bone within a single anatomic site.…”

Bone tissue engineering: A review in bone biomimetics and drug delivery strategies

“…Midrange values for cancellous bone are: strength of 5-10 MPa and modulus of 50-100 MPa. [60][61][62][63] During skeletal movement, forces are transmitted to cells via direct strain, hydrostatic pressure, flow-induced shear, and electric fields. 59,64 In vitro studies have shown that osteocytes, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteoprogenitor cells all respond to mechanical stimulation.…”

Experimental validation of finite element predicted bone strain in the human metatarsal

“…This heterogeneity causes highly site-specific and direction-dependent material properties (102)(103)(104)(105)(106)(107). Thus, the anisotropy of trabecular bone is location-dependent (108).…”